Building and Retaining Student Engagement in the Digital Age

We believe engagement is the heartbeat of a thriving educational experience, and technology can help keep that heartbeat strong. Research has consistently shown a strong link between student engagement and positive outcomes: :

• • Engaged students participate actively in class, connect more with course material, and feel a sense of belonging to their campus community, all of which improves learning and retention.


• • Universities that invest in engagement initiatives see improved retention rates and student satisfaction.


• • Even faculty morale is tied to student engagement; one survey found that eight in 10 teachers would find their work more rewarding if student engagement increased.

In short, when students are engaged, they learn more effectively and are more likely to stay and succeed, benefiting the student and the institution too.

Maintaining student engagement has unique challenges today. Here’s a breakdown of the 3 unique challenges that widespread digital access has created for student engagement:

1. Lack of Personal Teacher-Student Attention

• With the growth of online learning and digital classrooms, the traditional face-to-face cues and interactions between teachers, students, and peers are reduced.


• It’s easier for a student to feel “invisible” in a large virtual lecture or to multitask during class in distance or remote learning setups.

2. Excessive Competitive Content

• The enormous amount of digital content and social media vying for students’ attention means educational content must compete with very engaging alternatives.


• With studies indicating that becoming distracted is now easier than before, educators must ideate diverse and hands-on methods to engage students and retain their attention.
• Attention and concentration are highly task-dependent, and educators must create environments that make students feel involved and personally invested in class activities.

3. Isolation from Peers

• Hybrid or remote learning environments isolate students from their peers, which can dampen participation and interest.


• Early research has shown that online students feel a weaker sense of belonging than their on-campus counterparts (Rovai et al.)


• Meaningful peer interaction is crucial for students to exert the necessary cognitive efforts needed to engage with course material and classes.

Recognizing these challenges is the first step to overcoming them.

That said, education and technology are evolving hand in hand. Let’s look at potential solutions EdTech has innovated to combat the difficulties that emerged from rapid technological growth.

The good news is that technology, when used thoughtfully, can dramatically boost student engagement.

Educators are already leveraging digital tools to this end: around 85% of teachers report using digital learning tools to enhance student engagement.

• • Interactive technologies make learning more active and collaborative. Live polling or quiz apps can turn a passive lecture into an interactive experience, where every student participates.


• • Discussion forums and chat platforms integrated into learning management systems allow students to share their thoughts in writing, fostering inclusion.


• • Multimedia content such as videos, simulations, and educational games cater to different learning styles and keeps students interested.

At Ken42, we incorporate features like real-time polls, discussion boards, and gamified learning elements in our platform to help faculty make one-way lectures into engaging two-way conversations.

Students tend to be more naturally engaged when they can interact with material and each other actively.

One of the most powerful aspects of EdTech is the ability to personalize the learning experience for each student, which greatly boosts engagement:

• • AI-driven analytics can flag when a student is disengaging, for example, not logging into class or performing poorly on quizzes. This allows advisors or faculty to intervene early.


• • Some studies indicate that adopting AI in e-learning has boosted student engagement by up to 80% through personalization and timely support.

Ken42 uses analytics dashboards to help educators identify which students might need extra help or which course content is generating interest or confusion. This data-driven approach enables more responsive teaching.

Feeling connected to peers and instructors motivates students to stay involved. Technology offers creative ways to build community, even beyond the classroom.

• • Virtual study groups, mentorship platforms, and social networks for student clubs can all increase a student’s campus involvement.


• • An online platform or forum where students and faculty share project ideas or research interests can spark collaborations that extend learning beyond coursework.

When students identify with an active learning community, their engagement naturally deepens.